Nintendo has released some unique peripherals for its systems over the years, but there are some that were canceled before seeing a full release, such as the WorkBoy. The peripheral was intended to be released for the Game Boy in the 1990s and would have turned the handheld into a functioning PDA. While the WorkBoy was canceled before mass production began, DidYouKnowGaming’s Liam Robertson was able to track down a prototype, which was provided by Frank Ballouz. Ballouz oversaw the production of the WorkBoy for Fabtek and happened to have the prototype for the keyboard. There was only one problem: it required a supplied cartridge, which Ballouz did not have.
Fortunately, a recent Nintendo leak has provided the internet with code for unreleased software and assets. The code for the WorkBoy software was part of the leak, and Robertson was able to put that code on a cartridge to get the WorkBoy up and running! Robertson was then able to test the device and share his findings on YouTube! Robertson’s video about the peripheral is below.
The WorkBoy is said to have been produced in a collaboration between Source Research and Development and Fabtek, and officially licensed by Nintendo. The peripheral is said to have been released when personal computers were much more expensive, and long before cell phones hit the market. The WorkBoy would have sold for $ 79-89 dollars and would have had a number of features such as a world clock, address book, currency conversion and more. Considering that most of these features are easily found on most modern cell phones, it seems the WorkBoy was ahead of its time! Unfortunately, the peripheral was scrapped after Nintendo revealed plans to lower the Game Boy’s price. As such, the WorkBoy would have been more expensive than the system itself, which would likely have turned off potential buyers.
The video game industry has a number of stories, much like the WorkBoy. From fully completed games that were dropped without being released, to add-ons like the legendary “Nintendo Play Station,” the WorkBoy is in very good company. Thanks to Robertson’s tireless efforts, Nintendo fans and video game history enthusiasts can now get a glimpse of what could have been!
What do you think of the WorkBoy? Do you think the peripheral would have been successful? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter @Marcdachamp to talk about gaming!